Timepiece click device

ABSTRACT

A timepiece comprises a click device disposed between a first hour wheel and a second wheel carrying an hour hand. The first wheel is freely mounted on a shoulder of the second wheel and is held on the shoulder by a leaf spring secured to the second wheel. A boss or recess at the free end of the spring cooperates with one of twelve complementary recesses or bosses on the felloe of the first wheel to hold the first wheel in any one of 12 positions, whereby during use of the timepiece the hour hand can be made to jump by steps by 1 hour.

United States Patent 1 Gerber et al.

[111 3,895,485 [4 1 July 22,1975

TIMEPIECE CLICK DEVICE Inventors: Jeanvl lerre Gerber, La I Chaux-de-Fonds; Rudolf Feller, Le Locle, both of Switzerland Assignee: Zenith Time S.A., Switzerland Filed: Feb. 14. 1974 Appl. No.: 441,343

Foreign Application Priority Data Mar. 6, 1973 Switzerland 3245 73 US. Cl 58/4 R; 58/425; 58/58;

58/855 Int. Cl. G04b 19/24; G04b 19/22; G04b 9/00 Field of Search 58/4, 42.5, 58, 85.5

References Cited UNITED-STATES EATENTS 10/1973- Kishida 58/415 3,785,141 1/1974 lkegami 58/425 Primary Examiner-Edith Simmons Jackmon Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Robert E. Burns; Emmanuel .I. Lobato; Bruce L. Adams A timepiece comprises a click device disposed be- ABSTRACT tween a first hour wheel and a second wheel carrying an hour hand. The first wheel is freely mounted on a shoulder of the second wheel and is held on the shoulder by a leaf spring secured to the second wheel. A boss or recess at the free end of the spring cooperates with one of twelve complementary recesses or bosses on the felloe of the first wheel to hold the first wheel in any one of 12 positions, whereby during use of the timepiece the hour hand can be made to jump by steps by 1 hour.

8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures SHEET PATENTEDJUL 22 ms I TIMEPIECE CLICK DEVICE The invention relates to timepieces or components of timepieces comprising a click device between a first hour wheel and a second wheel carrying or being adapted in use of the component to carry an hour indicator such as a hand, this click device permitting the angular position of these two wheels to be changed step-wise.

Numerous devices are known of this type which usually comprise a jumper co-operating with a star-wheel having twelve teeth, or a pawl and a ratchet wheel. These known devices are fairly complicated and of considerable thickness.

The object of the present invention is the provision of a click device assembly which is simple to construct and of reduced thickness.

According to the invention, this click device assembly is such that the first hour wheel is mounted freely on a shoulder of the second wheel, the first wheel being maintained on the shoulder by a leaf spring secured to the second wheel and having at least one arm provided towards a free end thereof with means co-operating with complementary means carried by the first wheel for holding the wheels in any one of a plurality of discrete relative angular positions.

The accompanying drawings show, by way of example, two embodiments of the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. I is a plan view of a first embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section along the line AA' of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a similar cross-sectional view of a second embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a modified detail from FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a modified detail from FIG. 3.

The embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises a first hour wheel 1 and a second wheel 2 carrying an hour hand 3 on its stem or pipe 4.

The first hour wheel I is freely mounted on a shoulder 5 of the wheel 2 and maintained on this shoulder by a spring 6 provided with four symmetrical radially extending arms 6a. Spring 6 is secured to the wheel 2 by a ring 7 tightly fitted on a projecting sleeve of this wheel and by bosses 8 provided on the wheel 2 which engage in notches 9 in the spring; the ring 7 maintains the spring 6 axially, the bosses 8 and the notches 9 establishing the relative angular position of the spring 6 and the wheel 2.

The arms 6a of the spring 6 each have means cooperating with complementary means carried by the wheel 1 so as to set the relative angular position of wheels 1 and 2. These means include a boss 617 towards the free end of each arm engaging a respective oneof I2 recesses or, as shown, openings 10 provided in the felloe of wheel 1. Alternatively, as indicated by FIG. 4 l2 bosses 10a could be provided on the wheel 1 entering into recesses or openings 60 provided in the arms 6a. The free ends of arms 60 could alternatively be folded over, for example into V-shape 6d, and lodge in grooves or other recesses 10b of a complementary form provided in the felloe of wheel 1, as indicated by FIG. 5.

The hour wheel 1 is driven by a pinion ll of the timepiece gear train. A correction wheel 12 operated by a pinion in conjunction with a manually-operable correcting device enables variation of the angular position of the wheel 2 relative to wheel I by steps each correwith a stem or pipe la carrying a second hour hand lb.

Pipe la is connected to the wheel 1 by an integral flange lc with a rim 1d tightly fitted within wheel I.

This thus enables different indications to be given by the hour hands. one of which may be a reference hou GMT for example, the other a local time.

In this embodiment, a calendar could be driven by indirect means comprising a 24 hour wheel I3 meshing with wheel 1. Alternatively it is possible to drive a culendar by a 24 hour wheel 13a; meshing with wheel 2, as also shown in FIG. 3.

The advantages of the described click device assemblies are that they are of a minimal thickness, are simple to construct, and form a unitary assembly which can facilitate the operations of fitting into a watch or other timepiece.

What is claimed is:

1. In a timepiece comprising a click device between a first hour wheel and a second wheel carrying an hour indicator, the improvement wherein the first hour wheel is mounted freely on a shoulder of the second wheel, the first wheel being maintained on the shoulder by a leaf spring secured to the second wheel, and said spring having at least one arm extending to a free end and provided towards said free end with means cooperating with complementary means carried by said first wheel for holding said first and second wheels in any one of a plurality of discrete relative angular positions.

2. A timepiece in accordance with claim 1 wherein the first wheel has a pipe carrying a second hour'indicator.

3. A timepiece in accordance with claim 1 wherein the means establishing the relative angular positions of said first and second wheels include a boss on said arm of said spring, and 12 cooperating recesses or openings provided in the felloe of said first wheel.

4. A timepiece in accordance with claim 1 wherein the means establishing the relative angular positions of said first and second wheels include 12 bosses 0n the felloe of the first wheel and a cooperating recess or opening in said arm of said spring.

-5. A timepiece in accordance with claim 1 wherein the means establishing the relative angular positions of said first and second wheels include a folded over end of said arm of the spring, said folded-over and cooperating with complementary grooves provided in the felloe of the first wheel.

6. A timepiece in accordance with claim 1, including a 24 hour wheel means for operating a calendar, and means for operatively connecting said first hour wheel with said 24 hour wheel means.

7. A timepiece in accordance with claim 1, including 1 a 24 hour wheel means for operating a calendar, and

means for operatively connecting said second wheel tions. 

1. In a timepiece comprising a click device between a first hour wheel and a second wheel carrying an hour indicator, the improvement wherein the first hour wheel is mounted freely on a shoulder of the second wheel, the first wheel being maintained on the shoulder by a leaf spring secured to the second wheel, and said spring having at least one arm extending to a free end and provided towards said free end with means co-operating with complementary means carried by said first wheel for holding said first and second wheels in any one of a plurality of discrete relative angular positions.
 2. A timepiece in accordance with claim 1 wherein the first wheel has a pipe carrying a second hour indicator.
 3. A timepiece in accordance with claim 1 wherein the means establishing the relative angular positions of said first and second wheels include a boss on said arm of said spring, and 12 cooperating recesses or openings provided in the felloe of said first wheel.
 4. A timepiece in accordance with claim 1 wherein the means establishing the relative angular positions of said first and second wheels include 12 bosses on the felloe of the first wheel and a cooperating recess or opening in said arm of said spring.
 5. A timepiece in accordance with claim 1 wherein the means establishing the relative angular positions of said first and second wheels include a folded over end of said arm of the spring, said folded-over and co-operating with complementary grooves provided in the felloe of the first wheel.
 6. A timepiece in accordance with claim 1, including a 24 hour wheel means for operating a calendar, and means for operatively connecting said first hour wheel with said 24 hour wheel means.
 7. A timepiece in accordance with claim 1, including a 24 hour wheel means for operating a calendar, and means for operatively connecting said second wheel with said 24 hour wheel means.
 8. A timepiece in accordance with claim 1 including a motion-work connected with the first wheel to rotate said wheel, and correcting wheel means for rotating the second wheel to enable setting of the first and second wheels in a selected one of said discrete angular positions. 